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April 06, 2010

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MSNBC brass wasn't happy when news broke this week that David Shuster had taped a pilot for CNN, and the anchor wasn't on-air yesterday.

Now comes word of Shuster's fate through an MSNBC spokesperson: "David has been suspended indefinitely."

It's not the first time he's been suspended. Shuster was off the air a couple weeks in 2008 after he talked about how Hillary Clinton had "pimped out" Chelsea on the campaign trail.

And in January, he was reprimanded for a series of tweets criticizing James O'Keefe (who he was covering at the time). Since then, Shuster's Twitter account has gone silent.

According to the Observer's report, the CNN pilot was for a news show featuring Shuster and NPR's Michel Martin as co-anchors. It also included, according to the report, "medical and opinion segments, and included appearances by several current CNN contributors."

Word of Shuster's CNN pilot caught the network by surprise.

TVNewser reported that MSNBC president Phil Griffin learned about it on vacation, and on the phone with Shuster, "ripped him a new one."

Shuster, who's been on MSNBC at various times over the past couple of years, while also filling in on shows such as "Countdown," most recently had the 10 a.m. and 3 p.m. slots.

Reader Comments (147)

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For MSNBC, suspending Shuster is Addition by Subtraction. In addition, the management at CNN is again proving Einstein's definition of insanity correct.....
"Insanity: doing the same thing over and over again and expecting different results. "

Shuster is a far leftist hack commentator, so I'm sure NBC News will be sorry to see him go. But you can't blame the rat for fleeing the sinking ship. Problem is, he's just jumping on a ship that's sinking even faster. So my word of advice: Suck it, Shuster.

I could not stomach Shuster after the "pimped out" comment. It was disgusting and uncalled for. He is nothing but a Democratic party schill who has a man crush on Obama. I stopped watching MSNBC some time ago, and this guy and Chris Matthews are the reasons why. If I wanted to watch people wax poetic about Obama ( which I do not) I could get it from much better sources than these guys. It is no wonder CNN and MSNBC have approximately half the viewers they did a year ago and FOX has picked them up. We are sick and tired of left wing sycophants, of whom Shuster is one. I say, good riddance!

POLITICO just featured an article on how CNN's viewership is tanking, and one of the remedies is (possibly) another liberally biased segment featuring Shuster? Who's running that place? I can't believe the power ideology has over the news “business!”

Who are you know-it-alls that make the grand statements, one of which that he, Shuster, is the only one watched in the belt-way? I'm in California and I, as well as others, watch him, he's one of the ones that says something other than what is the "mantra" for the day that the other two cables say! When I have the time I pick and choose who I listen to, no one gets my full attention. Not of the three cables are worth that.

I wish MSNBC would get rid of Joe Scorbourgh and Myka. Their bias views are more in line with Fox. If the guest does not say what Joe wants them to say then he over talks them. Poor Myka has no talent.She thinks her so-called beauty is what she brings to the show. They are the hacks. Aside from Morning Joe, I love MSNBC and will hate to see Shuster leave. CNN is just another version of Fox. MSNBC is the best news on telelvision right now.

For the most part, I like Shuster but I think he has to grow up professionally. I remember a recent incident when the President said something, during a televised meeting, in which he advised viewers to be cautious in listening to all the "cable chatter" after which Shuster, in a "hissy fit", cut off the President's remarks to continue with his own "cable chatter". It was a disrespectful and childish gesture that showed that Shuster is not yet ready for "prime time".

Posted By: For the most part, I like Shuster but I think he has to grow up professionally. I remember a recent | April 06, 2010 at 10:51 AM

Really!!, why MSNBC is throwing a liberal hissy fit because "manic mouth" Shuster is contemplating working at the competition?. You don't anger a liberal without them slapping you. This is like a lover scorned??. how dare he?. When David talks he needs to better enunciate and move his mouth more clearly because I'm blind and I cant' see what he is saying by reading his lips?. Have you folks ever noticed his "manic mouth" enunciation?.

I find Shuster to be just another opinionated, uninformed, New York liberal who in no way connects with anyone outside the coasts. His biases are very clear, like his "tea bagger" sarcastic diatribe. In his defense, he is no worse than any of the other very biased reporters at that network, and he is, on a sliding scale of annoyance, at least slightly more tolerable than Olbermann, Schultz, and Matthews.

Well, I'm an active duty military officer, I enjoy politics, I'm a Democrat, and I do watch MSNBC versus Fox. That's my choice. While I disagree with the "opinion" shows on Fox, when I do watch them, I find them professional, and balanced - just like MSNBC. Fox has Beck and Hannity, MSNBC has Olberman. Advocates? Sure; but that's what the Amendment is all about. We're all American's; we're in this together.

I despise Shuster - he's such an irresponsible excuse for a journalist. He attacks James O'Keefe but gives the Fort Hood killer the benefit of the doubt. It's a good move on MSNBC's part, but the network is still on a path of decreasing viewership.

I do like Schuster, he points out the facts when someone is trying to spin a story. But what I remember is when he was at Fox news, none of you far righties thought he was too liberal then, which goes to prove that he's good at doing his job!!!

I was disappointed when Dylan Ratigan got bumped from the morning spot on MSNBC by The Daily Rundown.
Now there are two mediocre shows back to back - Morning Joe and Daily Rundown.
I'll just have to skip morning teevee until things get better.
David Shuster and Michel Martin would be a dynamite combination on CNN.
CEO Phil Griffin has made some bad calls recently.
Maybe someone should rip Griffin a new one.

This guy made Chris Matthews look sane, the only difference he didn't drool and slobber like Mathews does, when are these propaganda stations gonna realize, the public doesn't want to listen to their garbage.

Special note to CNN: The American people no longer trust or support networks that employ propagandists like Shuster.
***Maybe he can use his television skills and get a job with the sanitation department during his suspension.***

All of know of this situation is what I have read in the news. It seems to me that MSNBC has a legitimate issue with David Shuster. When an employee or a contractor breaks the rules, there must be enforcement and the consequences must be proportional to the offense. It appears that MSNBC acted appropriately. Having said that, I do respect and like David Shuster and wish him well. ~ richard allbritton, Miami, http://rallbritton.com

David Shuster is a better-than-average reporter. MSNBC cannot afford to dispense with someone who is an actual reporter, it has so few.
Mr. Griffin, now that you have had your say to Mr. Shuster, please bring him back.
Remember Richard Wolffe?

Bring back David Shuster.If the likes of Rush Limbaugh and Glenn Beck can get away with what they do.I say to MSNBC President Phil Griffin give him another chanch he is good.Never find anyone to take his place.

In the meantime Hanoi Jane is trying to mend her past.....Something tells me she NEVER will......Now she's a "victim........SURE......
Jane Fonda portrayed herself as a victim of a "myth" that was "created" by "right-wingers" about her infamous "Hanoi Jane" visit to Vietnam to protest the Vietnam War. Without specifying what aspect of the "Hanoi Jane" story she considered to be a fallacy.

I really like David Shuster. He's informed and interesting to listen to and he doesn't let his interviewee get away with giving pat answers. Hope I hope he puts his head on his shoulders and comes back. I will miss him.
As for MSNBC, I like the programming for the most part and I regularly watch Morning Joe, Hardball and the Ed Show. I do agree with another poster that Joe Scarborough and Chris Matthews often talk over the people they are conversing with and are sometimes too in love with their own opinions, but I still like them. Chris offers interesting comparisons of current events to historical events and Joe provides a pragmatic right-center side that I think is somewhat in line with the country as a whole right now. Mika is someone that I think most women can relate to and that's refreshing on a political show. Keep up the good work!

Shuster was like the little kid trying to please the big kids by being obnoxious too, but he's the one who'd get punished while hatemongers like Olby get their salaries tripled (after a few hundred NBC employees get laid off so they can pay for it). MSNBC won't have Shuster to kick around anymore. It's not like he was credible or anything.

It's about time that Shuster got his pink slip. He should have been cut loose after making that grossly inappropriate remark about Mrs. Clinton and Chelsea. MSNBC has given him another chance again and again and he still continues to put his foot in his pie hole. Please, Phil Griffin, don't bring him back. Let CNN have him.

To all these people saying that the public no longer wants to listen to "leftist hacks and propaganda machines like Shuster" what do you suggest they listen too? Fox? Because Fox is certainly not biased in any way. MSNBC certainly has a liberal sway to it, and Fox leans to the right. I can not think of a single cable news network that doesn't have some bias in it. Get off your high horses. Shuster isn't anymore of a party puppet than O'Reilly or Beck. They are merely pundits for their respective ideologies. However Shuster is at least more professional and not as crazy as Beck or O'Reilly. Really though. The nation hasn't rejected MSNBC as much as you have found FOX to be more in line with your conservative view points.

To all these people saying that the public no longer wants to listen to "leftist hacks and propaganda machines like Shuster" what do you suggest they listen too? Fox? Because Fox is certainly not biased in any way. MSNBC certainly has a liberal sway to it, and Fox leans to the right. I can not think of a single cable news network that doesn't have some bias in it. Get off your high horses. Shuster isn't anymore of a party puppet than O'Reilly or Beck. They are merely pundits for their respective ideologies. However Shuster is at least more professional and not as crazy as Beck or O'Reilly. Really though. The nation hasn't rejected MSNBC as much as you have found FOX to be more in line with your conservative view points.

funny how folks sputter they hate a news outlet because of one or two people who have DIFFERENT views...that goes to truth....get over your self...you stay stuck on stupid because you hate to listen to other views...

It appears Shuster's Mom (aka "Producer") is posting:
"i like shuster. he's the only one i do like at msnbc. i'm not watching again until he is back on the air.
Posted By: producer | April 06, 2010 at 11:52 AM"

A left wing hack that won't be welcome back to pMSNBC......who left Fox and has blasted them repeatedly and filmed a pilot for CNN that won't be picked up is hopefully out of the cable news biz for good.

Buh bye Schuster. I don't watch you anyway. I hated it when you used to be on Fox, and was happy when you were canned from there. I think you might wanna look for a new profession----other than being on cable news networks.

I really enjoy David Shuster's news reporting. Shuster will NOT allow guest to "sugar" coat their responses and/or informtion. Shuster will let them know that they are entitle to their opinion but they are NOT entitle to their own facts. I hope Shuster and MSNBC can work through this suspension.

All these hateful comments by rught wing nuts that get all butt hurt when someone says something negative (but true) about their leaders Lush Slimeball and Glenn Beck....go pray you gun toting nut jobs!

I find Shuster to be just another opinionated, uninformed, New York liberal who in no way connects with anyone outside the coasts. His biases are very clear, like his "tea bagger" sarcastic diatribe. In his defense, he is no worse than any of the other very biased reporters at that network, and he is, on a sliding scale of annoyance, at least slightly more tolerable than Olbermann, Schultz, and Matthews.

Posted By: I find Shuster to be just another opinionated, uninformed, New York liberal who in no way connects w | April 06, 2010 at 01:52 PM

I find Shuster to be just another opinionated, uninformed, New York liberal who in no way connects with anyone outside the coasts. His biases are very clear, like his "tea bagger" sarcastic diatribe. In his defense, he is no worse than any of the other very biased reporters at that network, and he is, on a sliding scale of annoyance, at least slightly more tolerable than Olbermann, Schultz, and Matthews.

Posted By: I find Shuster to be just another opinionated, uninformed, New York liberal who in no way connects w | April 06, 2010 at 01:52 PM

I find Shuster to be just another opinionated, uninformed, New York liberal who in no way connects with anyone outside the coasts. His biases are very clear, like his "tea bagger" sarcastic diatribe. In his defense, he is no worse than any of the other very biased reporters at that network, and he is, on a sliding scale of annoyance, at least slightly more tolerable than Olbermann, Schultz, and Matthews.

Posted By: I find Shuster to be just another opinionated, uninformed, New York liberal who in no way connects w | April 06, 2010 at 01:52 PM

I find Shuster to be just another opinionated, uninformed, New York liberal who in no way connects with anyone outside the coasts. His biases are very clear, like his "tea bagger" sarcastic diatribe. In his defense, he is no worse than any of the other very biased reporters at that network, and he is, on a sliding scale of annoyance, at least slightly more tolerable than Olbermann, Schultz, and Matthews.

Posted By: I find Shuster to be just another opinionated, uninformed, New York liberal who in no way connects w | April 06, 2010 at 01:52 PM

I find Shuster to be just another opinionated, uninformed, New York liberal who in no way connects with anyone outside the coasts. His biases are very clear, like his "tea bagger" sarcastic diatribe. In his defense, he is no worse than any of the other very biased reporters at that network, and he is, on a sliding scale of annoyance, at least slightly more tolerable than Olbermann, Schultz, and Matthews.

Posted By: I find Shuster to be just another opinionated, uninformed, New York liberal who in no way connects w | April 06, 2010 at 01:52 PM

I find Shuster to be just another opinionated, uninformed, New York liberal who in no way connects with anyone outside the coasts. His biases are very clear, like his "tea bagger" sarcastic diatribe. In his defense, he is no worse than any of the other very biased reporters at that network, and he is, on a sliding scale of annoyance, at least slightly more tolerable than Olbermann, Schultz, and Matthews.

Posted By: I find Shuster to be just another opinionated, uninformed, New York liberal who in no way connects w | April 06, 2010 at 01:52 PM

Shuster isn't a left-wing hack. Before I get attacked, let me explain. People forget that Shuster was on Foxnews before MSNBC and he was considered a right-wing hack when he was there. Shuster is the worst of the worst when it comes to journalism because he doesn't have any beliefs. He will pander to whoever is signing his paycheck. I think Maddow sucks, but I respect that her beliefs are truly hers. If she went to Fox, she woudl say the same crap. Shuster would go from the left-wing hack that you see on MSNBC back to a right-wing hack if he joined Foxnews again. He has no principles.

As a loyal MSNBC viewer and proud liberal, all I have to say is CNN is more than welcome to David Schuster. Mr. Schuster was once a good reporter (especially during the Scooter Libby trial). But somewhere along the way he decided on his own that it was ok to flagrantly inject his opinions and bias into his on air comments. This may be fine for the folks who were hired as opinion journalist like Matthews, Maddow & Scarborough but not for personnel who still have to still report straight news.
The absence of this bright line is what makes FoxNews a joke to everyone except their KoolAid drinkers.
I expect a real news organization and their personnel to understand the important difference between news & opinion.
I don't expect civil or honest comments from the inhabitants of this space...but who knows...perhaps there IS an intellectually honest conservative out there.

Posted By: As a loyal MSNBC viewer and proud liberal, all I have to say is CNN is more than welcome to David Sc | April 06, 2010 at 02:13 PM

I haven't watched CNN since I made my New Year's resolution to quit. Breaking News lasted three days, and Wolf Blitzer bored me to death. MSNBC will be the next to go; this from a fairly liberal Democrat. It's too biased. I never could/would watch FOX under any circumstances. I'm so much better off.

Isn't this evocative of the old query: if a tree falls in the woods and nobody sees or hears it, did it really fall? Ditto here: if Shuster isn't in MessNBC's primetime programming, if nobody watches the network, did the suspension really happen?

Poor little nerdy libs. MSNBS is the worst network on air, so who cares who they lose to an even worse network CNN. The libs are losing the battle everywhere and they just don't know how to handle it. Just think they might put the wack job Matthews, Olbermann or Schultz in that time slot. What a joke these little libby networks are.

Posted By: Poor little nerdy libs. MSNBS is the worst network on air, so who cares who they lose to an even wo | April 06, 2010 at 02:51 PM

shuster was another typical msnbc mouthpiece for the dem party.Since Turner left cnn has move to the center and teh ratings really blow.Im not sure he fits in unless cnn is going backto its roots.I watch msnbc so i can try to understand libarals.Im a lifelong repub.

I wish MSNBC would get rid of Joe Scorbourgh and Myka. Their bias views are more in line with Fox. If the guest does not say what Joe wants them to say then he over talks them. Poor Myka has no talent.She thinks her so-called beauty is what she brings to the show. They are the hacks. Aside from Morning Joe, I love MSNBC and will hate to see Shuster leave. CNN & MSNBC are the best news on telelvision right now.Thanks person for your right-on comments and I totally agree with them.

The wingnuts posting here wouldn't know a "leftist" if they saw one--which they never will on cable news. By the new standards of the Republican party, Richard Nixon would be a socialist. Why don't you people turn off Fox News and read a book by someone who isn't just telling you what you want to hear.
I once had respect for the GOP, but it's being heisted by fools.

I support David Shuster. I have always watched MSNBC evening news, but; since they have become Obama puppets I now watch Fox News. A much more diversified news report.
They appear to be telling the truth more than MSNBC. And if David is gone, so am I.

Who cares - from M (arxist) S (ocialist) N (ational) B (arack) C (hannel) to CNN - just a different venue for the same isolation - hopefully he can take Matthews , Shultz, Olbermann and Maddow with him - then they can all be even more insignificant together !!!

Guess ya-all ain't understanding any o what's goin on...
Bullets is comin from both extremes, left, and right, and the middle too!
Different flavors o tha same thing, sink America...
No mainstream media 'reports' any more, largely it is made up as it goes along.
The multitude of 'camps' offer little more than confusion, even if ya know what's goin on...!
Don't matter, working for the competition do get one fired.
Seeing as how he didn't matter anyway, what is the big deal?
Another one bites the dust, talking heads all!
The net is little better. Lotsa talkers and few doers...
Major changes are now coming, too many are way too mad to ignore getting even.
The Restore America Project was supposed to take them out of office according to those letters.
Ain't holdin my breath on that one.
So how about we all get together and cook up a little revolutionary stew...hmmm?
Everbody jus go down to tha courthouse an throw everthing right out the window, politicians included...be fun til ya got arrested.
Hay! The Tea Party did dump lotsa stuff overboard.

Shuster is a left wing radical, let him go to CNN their rating will only get worse. I think its hilarious, this guy makes himself out to be so high and mighty, while all the while doing something quite unethical, but I understand liberals have no standards so its okay, Really, its just down right funny.

Rumor has it that Rush is near to closing the deal to take Shuster's place. ....just kidding! :-) Could you imagine MSNBC's trying to spin the increased ratings if Rush did take over. That spin would turn MSNBC into a comedy network.

No loss to MSNBC. His 'news' show was unwatchable. Not in same league as Maddow, Olbermann, Matthews. CNN is no longer watchable at any time, especially after dumping Aaron Brown. Some of us prefer news without silly comments and giggling.

Good riddance. Shuster is an unprofessional, disrespectful, arrogant punk, **** poor one-sided hack, with no research skills (or is too lazy to employ them, and it is an embarrassment to the profession that he is considered a journalist. Go write for the Huffington Post, like every other Keith Olberman wanna-be. Speaking of, when will MSNBC kick Olberman and his ego out the door?

Excuse me Sandra ......you are out of your league here. Get your facts straight and learn some geography. MSNBC, NPR & PBS are daily fare for intelligent folks in this country....guess you did not .......hear.

I get a kick out of the people here who post that they watch msnbc along with others, with exception of the koolaid drinkers who watch FOX News. FOX is killing all others combined. That tells me that more Americans turn to FOX for a more fair and balanced view on the issues. Sure they lean more right, but Beck for instance encourages people to look things up for themselves and hopes that he is wrong, but based on their own words and actions, The Obama admin and their ilk tend to prove him correct. You will never hear Madow, Mathews or Olberman tell it's viewers to look thing up for themselves. What they say, seems to be what the left listens too, and doesn't seem to want to check things out for themselves. That is the real shame.

"You will never hear Madow, Mathews or Olberman tell it's viewers to look thing up for themselves." Assuming that you are an adult, why would you need someone to specifically tell you to look something up? I was taught in grade school how to look up things, how to cross-refernce, etc. By the way, your friend Beck has been proved wrong many times.

Posted By: "You will never hear Madow, Mathews or Olberman tell it's viewers to look thing up for themselves." | April 06, 2010 at 10:06 PM

For the most part, I enjoy David Shuster; why punish him for being ambitious and looking elsewhere? However, I would like to see the Joe Scarborough show be axed--I find him bullyingly offensive, often abusive, to his partner Mika and to various other guests who must frequently soft-pedal their opinions for fear of his rants. I understand that Mika must support her family, but the put-downs she receives (and accepts) from Mr Scarborough and the personae she has adopted to find her niche on the show (which range from scolding grown men like their mother,, or behaving like some high school sex kitten to titillate the all male group she invariable hangs out with ) is pretty disgraceful behavior for a "journalist". (Hint: take a cue from Tina Brown). No wonder she worries about her father;s opinion. Also, Dylan
Ratigan is so shrill and opinionated that it is truly impossible to stomach him. Unfortunately, he pursues certain subjects like a zealot, cutting off guests with whose opinion he doesn't concur. Contessa Brewer should also go--she interjects inappropriate comments too frequently--often with sexual innuendo. Ex: today told Ed that
because he did not watch the entire final championship NCAA game he suffered from " premature evacuation"?? (or something reasonably close to that phrase). And if a man had said something similar he might have been ".suspended ". Keep David --he's bright and his own thinker and a hard worker.

I enjoyed David Shuster and I think he was a wonderful anchor. Sometimes he was tough with his guest, but thats what I enjoyed about him. Please bring him back, I think he is a better anchor then Dylan Ratigan. Very polite and always told his guests, you are welcome, when they would thank him. I watch MSNBC all day, every day and he was good. I love MSNBC, please do not take him off the air.

Shuster has always been a bright light at MSNBC, alongside Rachel, Ed, and Dylan. I think he should look out for himself, it seems MSNBC wasn't going to give him the spotlight he needed.CNN should welcome an aggressive commentator and have him either restart Crossfire or something close to it. All you right wing nuts, when you talk about ratings, don't forget some of us liberals actually watch FoxNews, because its always fun to watch negative propoganda from exotic looking blondes and dried up old men, so just cause you tune in for 5 mins or so, shouldn't cause people to actually believe people are actually watching that crap.

MSNBC should replace all of their "talent" because if they did they might actually get some viewers. I had to switch to FOX so I can get news and some opinions about the political situation without having to listen to screechy voices like Shultz and Olberman.

If MSNBC wants to increase its viewership, there are a lot of people it should can before Shuster. Tingle-leg, unbalanced, nutcase Chris Matthews comes to mind who every day says things more outrageous than Shuster ever thought of uttering.

I have never insulted or criticized anyone before on a blog, but if "NANCY" thinks lying, nasty, snide, arrogant David Schuster is nice and good then she needs to read some books and learn what manners, courtesy, and taste are as well as bone up on the subjects David Schuster constantly mis-represents. And, to defend breaking ethics in this case, you really wonder if the Left has any ethics or standards of moral behavior yet.